1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible printed circuit, and more particularly to a flexible printed circuit applied to an optical equipment such as a camera, a VTR integrated with a camera, an electronic still camera, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic optical equipments such as a camera, a VTR integrated with a camera, and the like have become lightweight and compact because their electrical circuits have been highly integrated. A flexible printed circuit which is connected to electrical parts such as an IC, etc. have also become smaller.
A pull-out portion extending from a main body is formed in the above-mentioned flexible printed circuit, and a wiring pattern from a main body is formed at the pull-out portion, and furthermore, a terminal of the wiring pattern, which is connected to the above-mentioned electrical parts, is formed at a forward end of the pull-out portion. The pull-out portion is arranged in a gap between mechanical parts of the camera, and is connected to a predetermined electrical circuit when the flexible printed circuit is incorporated into the camera body.
However, as the camera has become more compact, the gap between the mechanical parts of the camera becomes narrower. As a result, a width of the pull-out portion of the flexible printed circuit is also regulated, so there is a disadvantage in that all of the wiring patterns, which are required to be formed at a pull-out portion, cannot be formed at the pull-out portion.
In the above-mentioned case, it is possible that the flexible printed circuit is multilayered and fined, however, there is a problem in that the cost is too high.
Therefore, a flexible printed circuit in FIGS. 4 and 5 is conventionally used so as to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages.
In the flexible printed circuit in FIG. 4, terminals 4, 4 of the pull-out portion 1 are connected to connecting terminals of the main body 5 by jumper wires 3, 3 instead of two wiring patterns which cannot be formed at a pull-out portion 1 among wiring patterns which should be formed at the pull-out portion 1.
In a flexible printed circuit in FIG. 5, the two wiring patterns 8, 8 which cannot be formed at the pull-out portion 7, are formed at a pull-out portion 7A for bypass, and the pull-out portion 7A is bent at bent portions 9, 9 which are shown with dot lines so as to overlap the pull-out portion 7.
However, if the number of the jumper wires 3 is increased in the flexible printed circuit in FIG. 4, a space for arranging the jumper wires 3 is increased. As a result, there is a disadvantage in that the pull-out portion is arranged in a small space.
Furthermore, in the flexible printed circuit in FIG. 5, the wiring pattern should be forme don the side which is a main portion of the flexible printed circuit. As a result, a path for pulling the wire pattern becomes complicated, and the pull-out portion 7A for bypass is restricted by a position where the pull-out portion 7 is formed because the pull-out portion 7A has to be formed at the corner portion of the flexible printed circuit.
The present invention has been developed under the above-described circumstances, and has as its aim the provision of the flexible printed circuit in which a wiring pattern which cannot be formed at a pull-out portion can be formed in a small space without being restricted by a position where the pull-out portion is formed.